Wallisha Bland arrested for murder of infant son

Alton, IL (KSDK) - The Madison County State's Attorney's Office charged Wallisha S. Bland, 19, of St. Louis County, with first-degree murder for the death of her two-month-old son, Jace Gillespie.

The incident happened at the Belle Manor Apartments in Alton, October 4th.

Alton Police Chief David Hayes said an autopsy shows the child's death was the result of a homicide.

Tuesday, Chief Hayes said, "Thursday, an autopsy at the Madison County Morgue indicated injuries were consistent with a skull fracture. That changed the dynamics of the investigation as it was initially being investigated as a roll-over, because the child was sleeping with its mother."

Investigators indicate the infant was thrown to the floor and there is evidence of a skull fracture.

According to Hayes, officers and EMS responded to a 911 call of an unresponsive child around 8:30 a.m. on October 4. The child was not breathing and unresponsive to resuscitation efforts. The boy was rushed to an Alton hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Bland lives in the 1500 block of Beecher in St. Louis County. She was arrested Tuesday morning. Investigators say Judge Charles Romani, Jr., ordered her held at the Alton Police Department without bond.

Investigators say Bland and her son were staying with a woman who lives at in the Belle Manor Apartments when the incident took place. Chief Hayes says the two women met when they were in the hospital, giving birth.

Investigators believe Bland acted alone.

Police say Bland has another son, about 18 months old. Chief Hayes said that child is now in custody of protective services.